Burying Our Troubles
by Darkhymns
Summary: It wasn't friendship at first for them. But all it takes is a helping hand.


**Written for Tales of Femslash Week on tumblr. Day 7: Free-for-all. Raine/Sheena!**

* * *

"That gash across your arm needs to be treated."

"I got it."

"It could get infected."

"I know how to treat my own wounds."

Sheena grumbled as she wound bandages across her forearm, pulling at one end with her teeth. She ignored Raine's disapproving frown, the soft tsk she made between her lips. It angered Sheena more than she would admit. The bug monster had lunged to her right with its quick mandibles, so her reaction time had been somewhat mishandled.

"Raine is an exceptional healer. It would be prudent to make use of her skills." Kratos was just by her shoulder, his face as impassive as the day she had assaulted their group. Though they traveled down to the ranch together, Sheena still felt out of place in this party. It was amazing that she felt more comfortable around her target, and the two younger boys with her.

Unfortunately, they were a ways off, already rushing ahead after Raine assured them she would care for Sheena's wounds.

Like she'd trust someone with such devious eyes.

"It'll heal well enough. I have my own medicines." She gestured to her small pack strapped to her side, where small bottles of salves from Mizuho were contained in.

Raine had a concerning expression. "Holistic medicine?"

She had no idea what she meant by that. "Just homemade medicine from my village."

"…I suppose I shouldn't expect the healing artes to be too common, given the circumstances."

Sheena had to re-assess Raine's comment in her head several times, turning it over like an alien instrument.

Did she just insult her?

Kratos interrupted her thoughts. "Do you need me to administer first aid?"

"I said I have it handled!" Sheena didn't mean to raise her voice that loud. With a clamping of her lips, she marched down the path, hoping to catch up to Colette and the rest.

Raine's frown didn't leave her head.

* * *

It's hard to hold a grudge forever, especially when it was inconvenient.

Not like Raine's heals only focused on her obviously. Of course not. Lloyd's form would have a green aura every ten seconds when knocked down by a particularly aggressive bear, and Sheena wasn't far behind in the number of scrapes she'd get after every fight. She stopped flinching whenever she felt Raine's magic wash over her. It was like getting used to an overlarge blanket tightly fitting around her, when at first all she wanted was to kick it away.

And then she started fighting the summon spirits.

After the battle with Undine, Sheena had to keep herself from wincing once they made camp for the night. As the campfire crackled in the evening, accompanied by the soft snorings of the group, she checked underneath her clothes to find a dark bruise blossoming over her right side. She wasn't sure just how she had gotten that exactly. Shouldn't it have been healed away by now?

Some healer.

"Something wrong?"

Sheena jumped slightly. Being seated, she only moved to a crouching position, and nearly unbalanced herself as she did so. Her side protested the motion, so she could only place one hand on the ground, looking up awkwardly at a standing Raine.

There was that frown.

"For an assassin, your reflexives are a bit… lacking."

What a devious-!

"You are clearly hurt, however. Why did you not tell me sooner?"

Sheena moved herself back to a comfortable position, turning away from the elf. "Thought it would be out of your skill set."

Only silence at first. She was mildly glad that she could render the Professor speechless. Usually her wit wasn't that quick.

"Well, that is why we searched out for the summon spirit, so that we can retrieve the Unicorn Horn."

Right. Sheena hadn't forgotten she still needed to help that man.

"Let me see it."

"What?"

A sigh. "Don't be difficult. Let me see your wound so I can heal it better. I only administered first aid on you, so you might need more mana concentrated in a particular area."

Raine was already kneeling next to her, her face impassive and having little patience. Sheena bit her bottom lip. She didn't want to admit she found the woman slightly intimidating.

"Fine, here." She lifted up one end of her gi, revealing only a bit of her stomach. The binding that covered her lower torso didn't allow for her to lift much. Half of the bruise was still covered.

Of course, Raine wasn't satisfied. "This won't do. You'll need to remove some of your clothes and lay down."

Sheena wasn't sure why she felt a little panicked at that suggestion. "W-what for? Just cast your spell and get it over with!"

"From what I see from that bruise, a general spell won't cut it. I have to ensure none of your organs are damaged." A line appeared in Raine's forehead. "Also, keep your voice down if you want no one looking this way."

Sheena's anger quickly swayed to embarrassment. She turned her head. Only Kratos was up, as always, the strange dog laying by his side. His gaze was watching the road. Everyone else stayed asleep.

Raine's hand gripped her shoulder. "Now hurry up. Or do I have to force you?"

Why was she treating her like a child? She wasn't that much older! "F-fine!" She gulped, fingers slipping up on the tight knot she bound around her stomach. She could feel Raine's judging eyes on her, and had to restrain a sigh of relief when she finally got the tie unraveled.

Shivering and still leaving the upper part of her gi around her shoulders, she laid her now mostly bare back on the ground. She reflexively brought a hand up to her chest, covered only by her brassiere.

Raine methodically took Sheena's wrist and placed it on the cold ground. "You act as if I don't know what a woman's body looks like."

"That's not the reason!"

"Again, keep your voice down."

Sheena's anger tipped to a point she didn't think possible. But she kept her mouth shut as Raine's hands prodded her stomach. A thoughtful hum there, another disappointing tsk here, and all the while Sheena felt like she would catch a cold from the night air.

Oh, she was sure Raine could cure that, too.

Finally, she felt the magic taking place, and the ache in her side noticeably dimmed. She clenched and unclenched her fists, eyes staring straight up at the moon named after her world. She tried to ignore Raine's form at the edge of her vision.

"You're lucky. It was most likely caused from that water stream attack from earlier. You were very close to getting a rib fracture. Any more pressure, and it could have broken and punctured a lung."

Sheena blinked at the woman's explanations, mildly fascinated at the path she took to reach her conclusion. "But… it was just water! Sure, it hurt, but water doesn't actually damage you!"

Raine looked at her in pity. "Water can be just as heavy as stone when there's a lot of it, and when it's propelled at you at fast speeds." A pause. "Also, we were fighting a summon spirit of water. Surely you know they could make their elements rather deadly if they desired to."

Sheena turned away with a pout. She had the feeling she had just been scolded.

Raine patted at her own knees in finality. "Well, you should be fine, now. Next time, don't hide your injuries if you want to live through this journey."

She got up, making her way to her spot near her sleeping little brother. Sheena sat up, pulling the gi over her chest.

"You were willing to let me die the first time." She stared at Raine's back. "Why all the concern now?"

The campfire highlighted Raine's body, a tinge of orange outlined her, coloring her silver hair. "Only because the children asked me to at the time."

"But why now? You were just saying how I was _hiding_ it. Could have left me to suffer on my own. Then I'd be out of your hair like you'd want me to, right?"

The fire made it hard to see Raine's face. Sheena shifted forward.

"Why do you have to act like you care? At least be honest! I hate two-faced liars like you! Just-"

"Go to sleep."

Raine walked away, not even staying to hear the rest of what Sheena had to say.

With trembling lips, the failed assassin fumed for the rest of the night.

* * *

It was back at the inn in Palmacosta that Raine would finally speak to her alone again.

"If you would like, I could teach you."

Sheena did more than jump this time. She _somersaulted_ in the air, nearly hitting the ceiling fan of her room, and pulling out her seals. "How the hell do you keep sneaking up on me?"

Raine, arms crossed, noted her battle stance. "Well, at least you were quicker on your feet. I suppose it's safe to say that you're in good health?"

"Why are you in my room?"

"Colette and I decided to switch for tonight. At my suggestion."

That conjured nothing but suspicion for Sheena. "Your… suggestion…"

"Given that you're her assassin, I think it only makes sense to do so. Wouldn't you agree?"

Oh. Well. That did make sense, she supposed.

"I already said that I was on your guys' side for now."

"For now," Raine emphasized and sat down on her bed.

Sheena was tired, but didn't want to sit on her own bed, as if she was copying Raine. So instead she remained standing, fiddling with her cards, pretending to organize them. Her mind kept nagging at her, and she couldn't help but look over as Raine gathered her satchel to pore over her gathered relics again.

"What did you mean that you could teach me? Teach me what?"

The professor raised an eyebrow. A stone tablet gathered from the Balacruf Mausoleum slowly went back into her pack. Sheena recognized that one. It was apparently a scribe's account of a certain famine or other, which Raine wouldn't stop blabbering about in one of her moods again.

"Teach you to heal." Raine nodded. "So that you can treat your wounds yourself."

"Myself?" Sheena frowned. "I already have my medicines."

"Yes, your snake oil. But what I offer to teach you would be more practical."

"Snake oil?! You wicked-!" She stopped. "Only elves, or half-elves even, can use magic. Why would you think you could teach me?"

"Because you are a summoner," Raine said, as if that was answer enough.

It wasn't.

Raine sighed. "Must I explain? Summoning is a long-forgotten arte – an _elven_ arte. Though you may not have any discerning elven features, I think it's safe to say that you have some elven blood in you from a distant ancestor."

"Oh." Sheena rubbed her arm. "Well, yeah, I knew that. Does this mean Kratos has some elven ancestor, too?"

"Perhaps, but that's not important," Raine immediately brushed aside. "I'm saying that with your heritage, it is possible to teach you some healing. If you would like. Then you would never need to be bothered by me again."

"I mean… I also use my life seals to heal myself anyway."

"Again, I'm talking about using something more practical."

Oh, come on! "You really have a way of talking down to people, you know that?"

Still, it didn't sound too bad. Corrine was currently scouting around the city, and Sheena could barely sleep as it is. Might as well learn a thing or two before she called it a night?

"Why do you want to help me with this?"

Raine shrugged. "Think of it as research for me. To see if it is possible to teach someone First Aid that has the genetic disposition to do so, but is a bit cognitively disadvantaged."

Sheena stomped her foot. "Is this about the water thing!?"

"No, I just remember your test scores from back at the academy."

"…Oh."

"Besides, it's simple to learn." Raine moved closer to Sheena, took both of her hands within her own.

Sheena was surprised to feel the softness of the Professor's fingertips. They hadn't felt like that when she had prodded her side that other night. She stood there dumbly, self-conscious all the sudden of her own calluses that must have felt as tough as leather.

Then suddenly, a sting. Sheena flinched. "Ow!"

Raine rubbed at a sharp fingernail. "Now, try healing that."

"You could've given me a warning beforehand!"

"Oh, now stop it. It's just a little cut." Raine held the uninjured hand of Sheena, hovering it over the palm where what looked like a papercut trailed across the surface. She had even undone the coverings that usually wrapped around Sheena's palms without her noticing. "Now concentrate, and heal the affected area."

Sheena felt herself shiver. The dull throbbing in her palm kept distracting her from Raine's closeness – and she found it to be a bit intrusive. "That's it? No incantation or anything?"

"Only for complex spells. But this, an elf child could do." Raine motioned Sheena's hands in her own, making her press her own fingertip against the cut. Slight pain, but only that. "Focus the mana into that area, and will it to be whole."

"…Am I just wishing for it to go away then?"

A sigh. One that she felt against her ear, ruffling her dark hair. "If that makes it easier for you to understand, I suppose you can see it that way."

Not that Sheena didn't believe in the power of wishes. She'd send off wish tags into the rivers every once in a while; wishes to be stronger, to not let her few friends down, to help her get the Chief to come back.

Sheena turned away from Raine's thoughtful face, from pursed lips painted in soft gloss. She… hadn't thought the Professor to wear make-up, and felt foolish for not immediately noticing. She focused back on their joined hands. The cut wasn't bleeding, just a scratch on the surface.

"There's…not much mana to gather," Sheena admitted, waiting for a reprimand.

Raine nodded. "I know. That's the state of the world we're in."

Sheena paused, her heart beating frantically.

"But if you focus on your current environment well enough, you can find the resources you need."

Raine stepped nearer to her, pressing against Sheena's arm. It was hard then to ignore her form, despite her loose-fitting robes.

Sheena suddenly felt an urge to escape. "Uh-"

"Now, search for your resources." Raine tightened her hold over Sheena's hands slightly. "Wherever you may find them."

It was a hint.

Sheena curled her fingers around Raine's, still keeping her forefinger over her cut. A soft aura of green, like wild grass and curling vines, engulfed both their hands.

Her palm was healed, not even a scar left behind.

Sheena then realized what she did. "I took your mana." She clenched her fist. "I- I'm sorry."

Raine moved back, but not by much. She still kept one hand on top of Sheena's. "No, I simply offered it to you."

Sheena went through a thousand answers as to why, but could find none. Her throat struggled. "Wha- But… isn't that dangerous?"

"My mana will replenish by morning. It's not equivalent to my actual life force, not when it's so little of it at least."

A slender finger tapped against Sheena's knuckles, considering.

"No cost is too great for helping someone learn," she continued.

Sheena considered as well. "Even when it's an enemy you're teaching?"

There was something in Raine's eyes then. A glint of something mischievous, or devious. "Then you can think of this as satisfying a curiosity I had in mind."

She didn't believe her. She scoffed, decided to invade Raine's own personal space. See how _she_ liked it. "So that's it? Just research purposes? How can you be that heartless?"

She didn't expect much of a reaction out of Raine. Just another disapproving a frown, a mocking jab at her abilities maybe, then going off to bed. It was the same soft hands that left her hand to touch her cheek that caught her off guard.

Raine was expecting something. And Sheena panicked again. She leaned forward and kissed her before the other could say anything.

Her lips were very soft, and the sensation sent a jolt through Sheena that nearly made her knees buckle. It was weak and embarrassing of her, so she continued, opening her mouth slightly, and finding Raine responding in kind.

After a moment, hands placed against her chest, gently pushing her back.

Despite a soft flush of red, not much of Raine's expression changed. "I wasn't anticipating you to be this forward."

Those were not the words Sheena expected. Suddenly, she felt all too much aware of what she had done. Her own face was very hot, and the first signs of sweat made her hair stick to her forehead.

"Wh-what were you anticipating then, huh?!"

Raine placed a thumb and forefinger over her chin, eyes off to the side as she thought about her answer so obviously. "I am not sure." Eyes swiveled back to the frantic girl. "But I appreciate the surprise."

Sheena wasn't sure how to make sense of the situation now. And that had been her first kiss, too. "Whatever. I, I know that was stupid."

"No. Impulsive, maybe. But I wouldn't say it was the wrong choice."

Fiddling with her fingers, Sheena wished she had just gone to sleep earlier tonight. "So, what now then?"

At that, Raine smiled. She took hold of Sheena's shaking hands, a soft caress enough to still them. "Wherever this takes us. I will say you have been very fascinating as of late."

There was that tone in her voice. It reminded Sheena of a voice that was used to keeping secrets. "So, there was more than one reason you wanted to switch with Colette tonight?"

"I thought it would be a nice opportunity to know each other."

While she could not help but like the invitation, that was one thing she could not betray just yet.

Sheena shook her head. "Sorry, but I don't think you'll get much from me."

Raine shrugged. "Fair enough." Her eyes examined Sheena, and just the simple action of it heightened the ninja's nerves, making her hold tighter onto Raine's hands. "Still, that doesn't stop me being curious."

She was looking all over her with more than an intriguing eye. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing much, just your clothes…"

One of Raine's hands had left Sheena's to trace fingers over the material, over purple and pink fabric, over the red string that bound around Sheena's waist.

"They're very familiar."

Sheena couldn't take it anymore. "Are you trying to tease me?"

And for once, Raine looked completely out of her element. An answer she hadn't at all expected. "No. Of course not."

"Then be careful of what you're trying to say to me and just say it."

 _Why are you even interested in me? Are you suddenly in love with or what? Just say it, just say it._

But she didn't wait for Raine to say it. She moved to kiss her again, for she had already done it once, so why not another? She pressed into her, and those same hands gripped at her clothes, memorizing the stitches in her gi, the shape of her bow tied behind her back. Raine could continue examining her clothes, and everything else if she so wanted to, but Sheena didn't want to keep drawing this out.

Sheena's kisses were unexperienced, but she tried a closeness and a deepness she could barely follow through on. Still, Raine was patient, and gentle, keeping her close and responding well to her with a soft sound or two.

In the back of her mind, she hoped Raine had remembered to lock their door earlier.


End file.
